Our Blog: Employment Law

Today, August 22, 2019 marks Black Women’s Equal Pay Day. Why does such a day exist? It’s not just another day on the calendar to be lost among the litany of National Siblings Day, National Ice Cream Day or the like.  Black Women’s Equal Pay Day represents the number of days in 2019 that black women in America have had …

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More great news for workers in Illinois! Last week, Illinois passed legislation which prohibits employers from asking applicants about their pay history during the hiring process. The No Salary History law is an important step in closing the racial and gender wage gaps.

Before this law, employers could ask an applicant questions about their salary history. This helped to perpetuate lower …

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After two long years of planning, advocacy, and negotiations, Chicago City Council has passed the Fair Workweek Ordinance.  The Ordinance protects employees from last minute shift changes and gives low wage earners some predictability in their schedules and, as a result, some degree of financial stability.  This is a huge win for Chicago’s employees and we are excited to see …

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Chicago Pride 2019 is done, wrapping up a month-long celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. This year’s Pride drew in record numbers of an estimated 100,000 people from all over the world, coming together to celebrate being themselves. However, while crowds came out in droves to show their support of the LGBT community, it is still important …

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The ADA turns 28 today.  

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law 28 years ago today by President George H.W. Bush.  (Remember when we used to have presidents who believed people with disabilities were worthy of respect and protection rather than ridicule?)

Since 1990 the Act has provided people with disabilities protections from discrimination at work and access …

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September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness month and, this weekend, our Firm is helping our young friend Benjamin Brave and his family raise money to support pediatric cancer research and provide assistance to families who face the daunting financial ramifications of cancer treatment.

8 year old Benjamin was diagnosed with leukemia almost two years ago when his mom took him to his …

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An incident regarding Ivy League students behaving poorly on social media serves as a cautionary tale for employees about the limits of off duty privacy.

Last month, multiple news outlets reported that Harvard revoked the acceptances of ten incoming students after they posted offensive comments on social media.  This is a reminder that oftentimes we do not have the rights to off …

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A Problematic Start with Good Intentions

While many are against some of the cuts that President Trump introduced last week in his budget proposal, others are enthusiastic about the included paid parental  leave plan. Trump’s paid parental leave plan gained him supporters during his campaign. However, prior to his budget proposal last week, the plan remained a mystery. Even though Trump’s plan will …

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Some say the Working Families Flexibility Act benefits employees while others worry employers will use it to cheat employees out of wages.

This week the House of Representatives passed the Working Families Flexibility Act which would amend the FLSA’s overtime regulations and give employers the option of offering employees comp time instead of overtime.

The Act would allow employers to offer employees comp time (more vacation time) …

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The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals hands down a seminal ruling holding that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects LGBT employees from workplace discrimination.

I have long bemoaned the fact that federal law does not protect LGBT employees from discrimination. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act outlaws discrimination based on “sex” but courts have always interpreted that to refer …

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